Bachelor of Science in Biology

Offering career preparation in professional occupations such as pre-Medicine, pre-Dentistry, pre-Optometry, pre-Veterinary Medicine, pre-Pharmacy, pre-Physical Therapy and other Allied Health fields as well as biological disciplines including Wildlife and Conservation Biology, Fisheries/Aquatic Biology, Molecular Biology and Biomedical Sciences.

Career Outlook

Many students interest in professional careers in medicine and other health-related fields choose biology as their undergraduate major. Excellent career possibilities exist for students in secondary and college/university teaching and research. Kentucky and other states as well as federal agencies hire wildlife and fisheries students, and there is also a need for environmental consultants in the private sector. A brief list of additional occupations with a background in biology include genetic counseling, biotechnology, conservation ecology, microbiology, toxicology, paleontology, herpetology, ecology, limnology, physiology, pharmaceutical sales representative and medical research. Most of these occupations require additional training at the M.S. or Ph.D. levels.

Specialization Options

The Department of Biological Sciences offers undergraduate majors in

Biology
Biology/Pre-Medicine/Pre-Dental
Biomedical Sciences
Pre-Physical Therapy
Biology/Secondary Certification
Molecular Biology
Wildlife and Conservation Biology
Fisheries/Aquatic Biology
A curriculum in pre-Pharmacy (74 hours) is also available. The majority of our pre-med students enter medical schools at the University of Louisville or University of Kentucky.

Research Opportunities

The faculty in biology are committed to the principle that one of the most exciting and rewarding undergraduate experiences is working on an independent research project. Research strengths of the department include fisheries/aquatic biology, limnology, wildlife biology, mammalogy, physiological ecology, paleontology and evolution, biochemistry, microbiology, molecular biology and genetics, microbial ecology, developmental biology, parasitology, and botany. Most faculty have research labs and are supported by grants. Students may participate in national and international field trips, internships and cooperative programs. Graduate Program

The Department of Biological Sciences offers a graduate program leading to the M.S. degree. A joint Ph.D. program with the University of Louisville is also available.

Facilities

Departmental facilities include lecture rooms and more than 20 laboratories in the Blackburn Science Building and teaching laboratories in a new Biology building. The college also operates the Hancock Biological Station (HBS), a year-round teaching/research facility on Kentucky Lake. The HBS includes classrooms, labs, and cabins for students and visiting investigators. The HBS, along with the Mid-America Remote Sensing Center (MARC) and Chemical Services Lab (CSL), comprise the university's Center for Reservoir Research.

A remnant cypress swamp, Murphy's Pond, is another resource available for student research.

A computer lab and visual aids center is operated through the Science Resource Center in the Blackburn Science Building.

Example Curriculum Outline

First Year

Fall	Hrs.	Spring	Hrs.
BIO 099 Transitions	1	BIO 216 Biological Inquiry and Analysis	5
BIO 115 The Cellular Basis of Life	3	CHE 202 General Chemistry and Qualitatitve Analysis	5
CHE 201 General College Chemistry -or- MAT 150	5	MAT 150 Algebra and Trigonometry -or- MAT 250 Calculus and Analytic Geometry	4
ENG 105 Critical Reading, Writing and Inquiry	4	University Studies Elective	3
COM 161 Introduction to Public Speaking	3
Total Hours	16	Total Hours	17

Second Year

Fall	Hrs.	Spring	Hrs.
BIO 222 Botany: Plant Form and Function	4	BIO 330 Principles of Ecology	4
BIO 221 Zoology: Animal Form & Function	4	CHE 320 Organic Chemistry II	3
CHE 312 Organic Chemistry 1	5	BIO Elective	4
CIV 201 or 202	3	Elective in Global Awareness, Cultural Diversity and
		Worlds Artistic Traditions	3
Total Hours	16	Total Hours	14

Third Year

Fall	Hrs.	Spring	Hrs.
BIO Electives	8	BIO 333 Genetics	4
PHY 130/131 General Physics I with Lab	4	University Studies Elective	3
HUM 211 The Western Humanities Tradition	3	Unrestricted Elective	3
	3	CHE 330 Basic Biochemistry	3
Total Hours	15	Total Hours	13

Forth Year

Fall	Hrs.	Spring	Hrs.
BIO Elective	4	BIO 499 Senior Biology Seminar	1
Elective in Social Science	3	University Studies Electives	3
Unrestricted Electives	4	Electives to complete major, minor and 120 hours	11
Elective in Ethics, Social Responsibility and
Civic Engagement	3
Total Hours	14	Total Hours	15

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